With the implementation of the Outline of “Healthy China 2030” Plan and the continuous enhancement of consumers’ concept of healthy diet, “low salt and phosphorus free” healthy meat products have gradually become a trend of development in the meat products industry. However, simply reducing the addition of NaCl and polyphosphates will seriously affect the cooking yield and quality of the final products. Therefore, it is of great significance to seek green and healthy alternatives to NaCl and polyphosphates. In recent years, the basic amino acids arginine, lysine and histidine have attracted extensive research attention for their application as substitutes for NaCl and polyphosphates in the meat products industry. This paper reviews the latest progress in the study on the regulatory effects of basic amino acids on the structure, solubility, and emulsification and gelation properties of myofibrillar proteins, as well as the underlying mechanisms. Meanwhile, the effects of basic amino acids on meat quality (color, water retention, texture characteristics, and oxidation stability) are also summarized. Hopefully, this review will provide a theoretical basis for the follow-up research and practical application of basic amino acids in the meat industry.

In this study, gluten, glutenin and gliadin were mixed with starch at mass ratio of 14:86. To clarify their effects and mechanism on starch digestibility, the interactions between gluten and its components and starch/α-amylase were investigated by a rheometer, a thermogravimetric analyzer and a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). The results showed that compared with pure wheat starch, the digestibility of starch reduced by 39.93%, 49.48% and 26.61% after 120 min of enzymatic hydrolysis in the presence of gluten, glutenin and gliadin, respectively. Starch could interact with gluten through hydrogen bonds to form a stable complex. Compared with gluten and gliadin, the addition of glutenin formed a denser physical barrier around the starch matrix, which inhibited the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch to a greater extent. In addition, the percentage inhibition of glutenin on α-amylase was the highest (approximately 79%). CLSM observation proved stronger binding between α-amylase and glutenin. The results of this study will help to enrich our understanding of the mechanism of the regulatory effect of typical protein components on starch digestibility in food systems, and provide a theoretical guideline for the development of low-glycemic-index foods.